Money in Vietnam: ATMs, Cash and Apps

Hey girl! I love that you’re about to come to this beautiful country, where I’m greeting you from. Money in Vietnam is one of the first things to look into, but let me tell you right away so you can relax: it’s super easy, and there are ATMs with no fees (something that doesn’t happen in Thailand, for example).

Let’s go over all the options so you can see which one works best for you.

Money in Vietnam

How ATMs Work in Vietnam

ATMs are everywhere in cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Nha Trang, and also in mid-sized towns. They dispense Vietnamese dong (VND) and accept most Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus and Maestro cards.

First of all, so you can relax: THERE ARE TWO ATMs (that I know of and have used from personal experience) that DON’T CHARGE A FEE (meaning, only whatever fee your own card charges you): EXIMBANK and VPBANK.

What you need to keep in mind:

Withdrawal limit: many local banks cap each transaction at a few million dong, so taking out more means multiple transactions and sometimes multiple fees.
ATM fee: a flat fee is usually charged per withdrawal with a foreign card. Before you confirm, the screen normally tells you the amount.
Your bank’s fee: on top of the local fee, your home bank may charge a foreign transaction fee and a currency conversion surcharge.
Dynamic currency conversion (DCC): if the ATM offers to let you pay in your own currency, decline and always choose dong. The exchange rate they apply is usually worse.

These figures change depending on the bank, so confirm current fees with your bank before you leave.

Cash or Card? It Depends on Where You Are

Cash is still useful at markets, street food stalls, small taxis, rural areas and family-run shops. Carry small bills, because getting change for a large bill is sometimes difficult.

Cards work well, but only at hotels, shopping malls, mid-range and high-end restaurants, and airlines. Some businesses add a surcharge for paying with a foreign card.

The best strategy for most people is to combine both: withdraw a reasonable amount at a single ATM, pay by card where it’s convenient, and use QR payments for the rest.

The Rise of QR Payments in Vietnam

Vietnamese people pay with their phones almost everywhere: cafés, shops, markets and even street vendors. The problem for tourists is that local apps usually require a Vietnamese bank account.

But don’t panic, because I found one you can use (I use it when I can’t get cash out) and it works super well.

What Is Moreta Pay?

Moreta lets you pay local merchants in Asia and Latin America with QR codes from your phone, in their local currency. You download it, load money from your own account, and you’re set. You’ll see that every little street stall in Vietnam has a QR code. If you top up with crypto it’s free; if you top up with regular currency, there’s a 2.5% fee (minimum 1.5 USD).

In most cases the only two ways to pay are CASH or QR.

While it’s easy to get cash (as long as you have a card), having Moreta saves you if you’ve just run out, or if you don’t have one of the no-fee ATMs relatively close by.

Advantages

No searching for ATMs: you pay by scanning.
Useful without a local account
Digital backup: if you run out of bills, you have another way to pay.

Practical Tips Before You Travel to Vietnam

Tell your bank about your trip to avoid card blocks.
Carry two cards from different networks (one Visa and one Mastercard) in case one fails.
Use ATMs inside banks and in broad daylight; they’re safer.
Count your money before leaving the ATM and keep the receipt.
Turn off conversion to your currency and always choose VND.
Keep some backup cash, even if you plan to pay almost everything with your phone.